Word: larew
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...wish to explain my position more clearly so that perhaps Larew might think through his opinions more carefully in the future...
Regarding John L. Larew's opinion piece, "Israel's Worst Best Friends," I am truly amazed that he could claim to understand the intellectual and psychological crises of the contemporary American Jewish community, based on introductory psychology. Though I am honored that he classified me in the same intellectual category as Professor of Law Alan M. Dershowitz, I am left wondering who appointed him the arbiter of "Zealotry...
First of all, though I cannot speak for my fellow "Zealots," I, as a Jew, support Israel first and foremost because it is a Jewish state. I have never hidden that fact, nor do I ever intend to. I resent Larew's implication that this position is somehow embarassing or morally reprehensible or that it requires a justification that his non-zealotous position does not. Nobody has the right to claim that somehow I am less of a loyal American because of my commitment to Israel. Every American, regardless of other ethnic or national ties, is equally American. That said...
...also recognize, however, that "perfect democracy" is a contradiction in terms. Larew's statement that the occupation of the territories undermines "Israel's claim to democratic perfection," seems meaningless. Israel has never claimed democratic perfection; nor has the United States. To do so would undermine the very foundation of democracy, by implying that equality has finite limits...
Perhaps most disappointing, is that Larew supports his condescending and morally loaded premise with distortions of the truth. If he looks carefully at the poster to which he refers (I have a copy if he would like a second look) he will notice that the soldier in question still has the strap of his gun around his neck. If he actually attempted to beat the Palestinian woman with the butt of his rifle, he would have decapitated himself. Perhaps Larew found the inscription "Bullshit!" across the photo because it claimed to portray something that was not occuring in the picture...